Cholistan to be irrigated under Green Pakistan Initiative

LAHORE : Punjab Agriculture and Livestock Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani Saturday said the Green Pakistan Initiative in Cholistan is the fulfillment of the dream of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Addressing a press conference at the Directorate General Public Relations, the minister said under the Green Pakistan Initiative the desert of Cholistan will now be irrigated. He said farmers would be provided with all facilities, pesticides, fertilisers and modern agricultural machinery under one roof. The minister said a rental service of high-tech machinery will be started across the province, including Cholistan and agricultural inputs will be available at government rates.

The minister said collective efforts of provincial, federal and army institutions were underway to introduce cooperative farming for food security. He said Green Mall & Services Company, Smart Agri Farm and Agricultural Research have been established under the Green Pakistan project. The minister said Green Reforms will be brought in the agricultural sector under the Initiative.

Kirmani said along with revolutionary reforms in the agricultural sector, the national economy will be boosted through modern technology. He maintained the CM and Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir inaugurated the Green Pakistan project under the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI) in Cholistan on Friday and under which Green Mall and Services Company, Smart Agri Farm, Agricultural Research have been established. He said agricultural tools rental service will be started in every tehsil of the province. The minister said the Punjab government under the supervision of the CM has launched 80 projects and programmes in all departments in less than a year and most of the projects are near completion. He said the agriculture sector includes several projects such as Kissan Card, Green Tractor Programme, solarisation of agricultural tube wells and provision of super-seeders to prevent smog. The minister said with the use of genetic seed, improved irrigation systems and modern agricultural machinery per acre production of our crops can be enhanced.